Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-11-07
GEN. GRANTS HOME LIFE.
A Pleasant Picture OF the Inncr Chsrao
ter and Life of the Great Chieftain.

ter and Lille OF the Great ChieftaAn.
In a recent interview Santee Chambiiss
the former valet of Gen. Grant, defined
his duties to have consisted in waiting OK
ClusiyelS upon the general. Il went TO
hIs TED chamber early III the morning. l
at onc i'll out the clothes that he should
wear tn that day. ! invariably placed
Uat fresh linens. adjusted his set Of dia-
mond OF gold studs just rs fancy struck
me. polished his shoes, poured out
water for his toilet and awaited for fur
ther orders. Tnc general left the selec-
ton Of suit for the day entirely To my
own taste.
Mrs. Grant only was fastidious in
dress. There could hardly he found
finer wardrobe in the land than she had.
Her wearing apparel was simply superb.
The generals wardrobe was very COM
rlctc also. Int he never knew W hat clothes
he had. for his tastes We're plain in
every respect. The materials Were of the
very best. ut nothing fancy. He wore
mostly dark clothes, always button shoes.
standup collar turned back and never
any other than black tie. We never in-
dicatei 10 me the kind of suit he would
wear. | simply selected from a large
variety according to rIy own judgment.
and h. wore them Mr. ChambliSS
went on further 10 say: THE very first
thing | would do in the morning was the
taking of tine M prning paperS 10 the
bpudoir. where | placed them on the
.ahla They neraliv were The Times,
uu..ll. World and Tribune. but he got
napcrs from all the principal cities - De
,.aUutry ut mail time. -fWas Ia
Il would next enter his bepi alamber
and often wouli find him living III bed
smoking cigar. He had chair by his
bed where he deposited the ashes.
greeted him with good morning. and he
would return it with kindly expression
Of face. bat seldom would say more than
ROW and then ask about the weather. II
| wer. to ask him a question or two he
would answer them, that's all. His words
were few: he seldom commanded. but
one cou!d know by his one or two words
what was meant. and you always were
inclined To carry out hi wishes. ! always
had TO put on and bu, on his shoes, hold
his coat. but he adj, Sted the collar and
tie himself He took a bath twice a
week. knew the time and always had
.ile water turned on for him.
The general" he continued. ALWAYS
Went from his bed chamber straight to
the boudoir. He went there with a
cigar i'll his mouth. He scanned the
papers hastily and smoked at least three
ciEars before breakfast call. He went
down IL breakfast with cigars in his
pocket. and If be should happen 10 have
forgotten the placing IF any there, he
would at once ask the butler to bring
him some. With scarcely the last NOR
sci swallowed. the butler would be ready
with lit match and the general would
smoke. He at the same time handed
cigars over the table 10 his sons. who
would join him in this delicious des-
sert.
..What kind of cigars did the general
dse:''
Well. Ionce heard him tel Mrs. Grant
HAT his cigars cost thirty-nine cents each
by the thousand. He smoked n very long
aud large cigar, specially made to order.
In fact his cigar would put any ordinary
sample in the shade as re ards size. He
generally had two dozen boxes on hand.
and two brands of them. He ALWAYS
favored tine large cigar. The valet could
always gain the consideration of being an
alert servant if he wouli noiify him OF
the near exhaustion of his stock. Gen
eral, only one box of cigars on hand.
We'll, | will have some sent up. was his
:nyariable answer, and he never failed.
after breakfast the general would
often walk TO the elevated station. Fifty
down 10 bis Office in Wall street The
carriage often stood ready by the front
door, but lie frequently preferred walk /
ing. lie took downtown lunch at 4
,'ciock, and came home to dinner, which !,
was served at q p m. In the afternoon.
on his return from the Office and before
he entered the house, he went to the
stables. ordered his favorite horse and
took drive in the park. Upon entering
the house his first order was: Get me the
evening paper Mrs. Grant never failed
to greet him at the head of the stairs
most afTectionately She called him
Ulysses lie called her Mrs. Grant
She always kissed him upon his departure
from the house and upon his return to it,"
In speaking of the table habits of the |
general and his family the valet. with a |
years experience rs butler. went on to |
Say: They set "a very fine table indeed. |
They had TIE finest of tableware that |
could lie found. 1t WIS always Mrs. |
Grants greatest desire 10 have good and |
long dinners For this meal the catables |
were all served in courses. The cook and |
butler had each a list. and whenever tie |
batter would. lower the dummy to the
kitchen the cook would know the course
next IN order. The dinner consumed one
hour and half in its completion.
The general was not Il great eater
For breakfast he carel mostly for tender
lnin Of porterhouse steak. cup If coffee
and lot griddle cakes ALWAYS served with
the meal-and the inevitable cigar
Breakfast consumed one-half hour. He
would pull out his watch ;f the close, but
never was in a hurry.
The family were certainly most affec-
tionate. When they We're met together
Ihey were the happiest people in the
word. Mrs. Grant and the general were
ever addressing each other with terms of
greatest respect and tenderness. and fire.
IuenIly had studied surprises for each
others happiness. | think Mrs. Grant
was conscious of the general greatness.
md size had a right 10 appreciate it. But
Inc general always was plain. He never
seemed 10 l.:low that he had done any
ming in the worli-but somewhere. and
ly something. he had learned 10 he great
for one had to feel that he was great"
Times.
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